Fatal Car Crash on Quincentennial! [updated]

Wompa1

I live in Dun, went out to see what the commotion was and got talkin to a lad that was talking to one of the only witnesses I believe. The guy was flooring it supposidly which you'd believe from the way his car was thrown. Also I'd assume he wasn't wearing a seat belt because his body was in the middle of the road, not sure how much to say here because its a bit graphic and its based on here say kinda...it was just by the students walk way at the back of Dun na Coiribe. A witness said there were two kids in the ladies car, I didn't see any kids myself though just a lady being put into an ambulance and the dead man in the road. Buckle up and don't speed I guess!

leninbenjamin

Wompa1 wrote: »

I live in Dun, went out to see what the commotion was and got talkin to a lad that was talking to one of the only witnesses I believe. The guy was flooring it supposidly which you'd believe from the way his car was thrown. Also I'd assume he wasn't wearing a seat belt because his body was in the middle of the road, not sure how much to say here because its a bit graphic and its based on here say kinda...it was just by the students walk way at the back of Dun na Coiribe. A witness said there were two kids in the ladies car, I didn't see any kids myself though just a lady being put into an ambulance and the dead man in the road. Buckle up and don't speed I guess!

Jesus that sounds horrible... perhaps this will serve as a wakeup call to some drivers, as a cyclist i see so many cars taking unnecessary risks every single day, overtaking on blind corners, running red lights all that crap... needs to be a bit more cop on from your average driver.

hairyfairy00

Both have been named, it so sad especially because it's so close to Christmas.
http://www.rte.ie/news/2007/1210/rta.html

That side of Galway (and especially St Bridget's Place/Terrace/Tesco/Lidl) is a deathtrap. There's constant boy-racers speeding and being reckless around there. Like I said previously, my bedroom is overlooking all of this so I hear it all the time. I'm surprised the possibly hundreds of people living in and around this area haven't tried to do something about it.

I know I've been tempted to go out and hurl eggs at any boy-racer that speeds down my road.

finlma

Deleted User wrote: »

I never seen excessive speed on the bridge.Apart from bikes.

You obviously don't drive a car so - I drive the bridge a few times every day and I do so in or around the speed limit of 50 km/hr. I get overtaken by so many other vehicles - I'd say 90% of vehicles crossing that bridge do so over the speed limit.

Zzippy

leninbenjamin wrote: »

Jesus that sounds horrible... perhaps this will serve as a wakeup call to some drivers, as a cyclist i see so many cars taking unnecessary risks every single day, overtaking on blind corners, running red lights all that crap... needs to be a bit more cop on from your average driver.

I hope you're one of the tiny minority of cyclists in Galway who actually uses a light on their bike, and doesn't run red lights, all that crap. I can't believe the number of cyclists in Galway who take stupid risks every day.
This isn't trying to excuse the bad drivig of motorists, as a driver I see everything you've described too, but I also see pedestrians and cyclists doig stupid things and putting themselves and others at risk too...

JohnCleary

As a poster said above, without getting too graphic. I spoke to someone who claimed to have been on the road (just as the cops were arriving). He said he saw a male body in the middle of the road, and couldn't see a head :eek:

Don't know if it was just the guy talking silly or what, either way

leninbenjamin

Galwayguy99 wrote: »

I hope you're one of the tiny minority of cyclists in Galway who actually uses a light on their bike, and doesn't run red lights, all that crap. I can't believe the number of cyclists in Galway who take stupid risks every day.

I am actually... i feel like decking some of my fellow cyclists for the reputation they give me.

but for the most part the risks cyclists take are usually not on the same scale as some of the worst offenders on our roads (namely those who drive for a living, cabbies and truckers and the like).

BillyGoatGruff

Fozzie Bear wrote: »

First off my condolences to both families. A terrible tragedy to happen so close to Christmas. Alas if other years are anything to go by then we will be having this repeated up and down the country this Christmas season.

Does anyone know exactly where the crash happened? Was it at the magic roundabout or Newcastle/traffic lights end, in the middle or actually on the bridge itself?? We were just talking about it at dinner time and speculating as to what could have happened or caused the accident.

Does anyone remember the accident that happened a couple of years ago on this stretch of road where a female NUIG student who was walking on the footpath was mown down by some boy racer clown who was speeding and did not have a license or insurance (if memory serves). The car ended up on its roof after sliding down a grass embankment between the bridge and just before you come to the houses in Cuirt Na Coiribe. He had been heading towards the roundabout. Its a road with some history.

Not sure if he was a boy racer. Do know that he had no insurance but supposedly it was a blowout of one of the tyres that caused the accident.

Zzippy

leninbenjamin wrote: »

I am actually... i feel like decking some of my fellow cyclists for the reputation they give me.

but for the most part the risks cyclists take are usually not on the same scale as some of the worst offenders on our roads (namely those who drive for a living, cabbies and truckers and the like).

Agreed. I think when some of those cyclists start driving and have a couple of near misses - nearly killing some guy on a bike cos they couldn't see him, or because he came through a red light - they'll think better of their behaviour. I know most of the time they're only risking their own lives, and drivers are risking killing other people, but imagine the guilt you'd feel having killed someone in an accident, even if it was no fault of your own. A friend of mine knocked a child down a couple of years ago, he ran out on the road from behind a car and she never had a chance to stop. No fault of hers, but she was absolutely devastated for a long time afterwards...

JohnCleary

BillyGoatGruff wrote: »

Not sure if he was a boy racer. Do know that he had no insurance but supposedly it was a blowout of one of the tyres that caused the accident.

Wow I must be physic, was discussing this with the oul man an hour after the crash and thought that the only way that could have happened was because of a blowout. Well, not physic, but you get my drift.

How did ya know he had no insurance? Did it say it on the news?

hairyfairy00

JohnCleary wrote: »

Wow I must be physic, was discussing this with the oul man an hour after the crash and thought that the only way that could have happened was because of a blowout. Well, not physic, but you get my drift.

How did ya know he had no insurance? Did it say it on the news?

I've also been told 'what really happened' e.g alcohol involved and a blowout but no matter what happened it so desperately sad that people traveling home had their lives cut short. My condolence are with the families of the victims.

Fey!

Based on what I've heard, there's a huge amount of incorrect speculation on here as to the reason for the accident. Why not wait until there's some official report; this is hard enough on the victims families as it is.

EDIT: re-reading my post, it looks as if I'm lecturing. That's not the way it's meant.

Robbo

Fey! wrote: »

Based on what I've heard, there's a huge amount of incorrect speculation on here as to the reason for the accident. Why not wait until there's some official report; this is hard enough on the victims families as it is.

EDIT: re-reading my post, it looks as if I'm lecturing. That's not the way it's meant.

Lecture on. These ghouls tend to see a death as an opportunity to entertain theories that are generally so far wide of the mark, they may as well be located on the moon.

That said, no one's blamed this on those pesky non-nationals yet.

JohnCleary

I bet it was a foreigner that caused the crash. DAMN FOREIGNERS!

hairyfairy00

Fey! wrote: »

Based on what I've heard, there's a huge amount of incorrect speculation on here as to the reason for the accident. Why not wait until there's some official report; this is hard enough on the victims families as it is.

EDIT: re-reading my post, it looks as if I'm lecturing. That's not the way it's meant.

Same here, i don't want people on here to think that i'm lecturing them about what they have heard. As you said lets wait until the official report

Zzippy

JohnCleary wrote: »

I bet it was a foreigner that caused the crash. DAMN FOREIGNERS!

Der takin our jabs!!!!

That roundabout down by the Galway Shopping Centre with all the traffic lights on it is a death-trap for people who don't know it very well. The amount of times I've seen cars stopping midway at a red light that was meant for someone else is ridiculous.

I was a competitive cyclist for years and there's been countless times that I've been involved in near-collisions with cars not watching where they were going. The worst was our Sunday morning practice sessions as we always had to be on the look out for people who would have been still drunk from that Saturday. Rural areas were the worst for this.

Fozzie Bear

JohnCleary wrote: »

Wow I must be physic, was discussing this with the oul man an hour after the crash and thought that the only way that could have happened was because of a blowout. Well, not physic, but you get my drift.

How did ya know he had no insurance? Did it say it on the news?

i think your getting your wires crossed John. Billy Goat was referring to a previous accident several years ago on this road where a NUIG student was knocked down and killed on almost the exact same stretch of road as Sunday's crash.

If you go back and re-read my previous post and Billygoatgruffs it should become clearer.

I don't think anyone knows yet what caused Sunday's accident.

JohnCleary

Fozzie - Grand ill take your word for it, fcuked if im going back re-reading others posts

Crazy how an accident like this happened all the same, I reckon a blowout could be a definate POSSIBILITY

galah

Deleted User wrote: »

That roundabout down by the Galway Shopping Centre with all the traffic lights on it is a death-trap for people who don't know it very well. The amount of times I've seen cars stopping midway at a red light that was meant for someone else is ridiculous.

I was a competitive cyclist for years and there's been countless times that I've been involved in near-collisions with cars not watching where they were going. The worst was our Sunday morning practice sessions as we always had to be on the look out for people who would have been still drunk from that Saturday. Rural areas were the worst for this.

Let alone changing lanes mid-way because they changed their mind, and instead of turning right onto the bridge, they now want to go to Tesco, crossing three lanes of traffic. Or not reading the signs that clearly state which lane you should be using provided you have decided where you want to go...

Why they don't turn that roundabout into a proper cross-road is beyond me...

padi89

leninbenjamin wrote: »

but for the most part the risks cyclists take are usually not on the same scale as some of the worst offenders on our roads (namely those who drive for a living, cabbies and truckers and the like).

I don't know about that , i don't see many cabbies, truckers constantly breaking red lights and not using any lights on there vehicles.IMO a large number of Galways cyclists don't seem to think road rules apply to them.If they acted that way in a car.............:(

po0k

Can we please stop the speculation, or I shall have to lock the thread.

Links to news items or Garda reports please.

leninbenjamin

padi89 wrote: »

I don't know about that , i don't see many cabbies, truckers constantly breaking red lights and not using any lights on there vehicles.IMO a large number of Galways cyclists don't seem to think road rules apply to them.If they acted that way in a car.............:(

well honestly... most cyclist are muppets on the roads I agree, but frequently the people who caused the most danger I see on our roads are professional drivers... purely from personal experience based on my memory of the worst incidents i've been in. on Taylors hill at that blind corner by the school before the Traffic lights, i've had cabbies pass me out there on multiple occasions only to be inches from another car coming the opposite direction. i've been forced onto the footpath by trucks and vans who refuse to either slowdown, or go wide of me (one trucker was actually so close to me before that his wing mirror grazed my hair, that was freaky). They also are the kind who frequently never slow down when taking a right or left, even as a pedestrian i've had guys come awful close to me on occasion where i was just crossing a road. I frequently see people running red lights too... especially at night when they think traffic will be quiet.

typically as a cyclist i find in some places i have to cycle in the middle of the lane to prevent people taking risks. it pisses people off and i do get abuse for it, but if it prevents them cutting me off or taking a chance i feel i have to take it.

Ronan|Raven

I know the deceased sister and he is certainly no boy racer and not in that age bracket.

Amazotheamazing

Sadly, that bridge is an accident waiting to happen. I regularly drive from Limerick to Galway and the driving in all three counties you pass through is utterly horrendus, but I would rate the road leading from the tuam road to the Newcastle road as one of the most dangerous stretches. People seem to think the speed limit is there for comic value, I've rarely seen it obeyed.

Bass Cadet

Can the cyclists please climb down from their moral hilltop?? Until the majority of you start treating the road with respect by using lights at night and actually stopping at red lights then you've no right to lecture people on how they drive their cars

leninbenjamin

Bass Cadet wrote: »

Can the cyclists please climb down from their moral hilltop?? Until the majority of you start treating the road with respect by using lights at night and actually stopping at red lights then you've no right to lecture people on how they drive their cars

i'll get off my horse when ye guys learn to use indicators at least.

Fey!

leninbenjamin wrote: »

i'll get off my horse when ye guys learn to use indicators at least.

To be fair, and judging from your posts, you seem to be one of the few cyclists who use lights and a hi-vis vest. Unfortunately, you do appear to be in the minority.

However, this thread wasn't about cyclists and their lack of lighting. It's about two relatively young people who, possibly through no fault of their own, tragically lost their lives in an accident on Sunday night.

togster

padi89 wrote: »

I don't know about that , i don't see many cabbies, truckers constantly breaking red lights and not using any lights on there vehicles.IMO a large number of Galways cyclists don't seem to think road rules apply to them.If they acted that way in a car.............:(

Such a load of bullsh!t tbh. The fact is that there aren't proper provisions for cyclists in galway and in our cities. Very few cycle lanes etc. In other european countries cyclists have right of way and would never have to enter into lanes of vehicular traffic. So blaming anything on cyclists is ridiculous when we don't have the infrastructure in place to provide for proper behaviour. In an age of traffic jams and carbon emission there should be much more emphasis placed on facilatating cyclists to negotiate our cities in an efficient manner so we can take people out of their cars. Sorry for the off topicness!